Suppression of Communism Act, 1950

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The Suppression of Communism Act, No. 44 of 1950 was legislation of the national government in South Africa, passed on June 26 of that year (and coming into effect on July 17),[1] which formally banned the Communist Party of South Africa and proscribed any party or group subscribing to the ideology of communism. The Act defined communism as any scheme that aimed "at bringing about any political, industrial, social, or economic change within the Union by the promotion of disturbance or disorder" or that encouraged "feelings of hostility between the European and the non-European races of the Union the consequences of which are calculated to further..." disorder. The Minister of Justice had the power to issue an order which severely restricted the freedoms of anyone deemed to be a "communist." Among other things, suspected "communists" could be barred from running for public office and attending public meetings, and could even be barred from entering a specific portion of the country.[2] A person could even be jailed simply because the Minister of Justice deemed him to be a "communist."[3]

The act defined communism and its aims so sweepingly that anyone seeking to change a law could be considered a communist, especially if it was a law enforcing racial segregation and apartheid. Communism was so broadly defined in the act that even judge Franz Rumpff stated during the trial of African National Congress (ANC) president James Moroka that "[the charge] has nothing to do with Communism as it is commonly known", and defendants were commonly convicted of "statutory communism.[4] Most of the Act was repealed in 1982 by the Internal Security Act No 74[5] and in 1991, with the last provisions of it repealed in 1993.

The Suppression of Communism Act was in large part due to the involvement of communists in the anti-apartheid movement. The act facilitated the government take down of organizations such as the ANC and Pan Africanist Congress of Azania that advocated for black rights.[6] The Suppression of Communism Act forced these groups to go underground with their activism. Ironically, because of this act, groups such as Umkhonto we Sizwe, led by Nelson Mendela as a branch of the ANC, did seek support from the Communist party for financial aid.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ General South African History Timelines South African History Online
  2. ^ Separate and Unequal South Africa: A Country Study, Library of Congress.
  3. ^ "Justice Takes Its Course". Time. July 28, 1952. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,816614,00.html. Retrieved 24 December 2008. 
  4. ^ "Death the Leveler". Time. December 15, 1952. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,820489-2,00.html. Retrieved 24 December 2008. 
  5. ^ Riotous Assemblies and Suppression of Communism Amendment Act No 15 of 1954 About.Com: African History
  6. ^ Byrnes, Rita M. (1996). "Legislative Implementation of Apartheid". South Africa: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress. http://countrystudies.us/south-africa/25.htm. 

[edit] External links

[edit] Further reading

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